


Wolves

by RageHappyThunder



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-08
Updated: 2013-11-08
Packaged: 2017-12-31 21:36:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1036654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RageHappyThunder/pseuds/RageHappyThunder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Have you seen Wolf Children Ame and Yuki? Basically I thought hey Ray should be a werewolf. So: The daily life of Ray trying not to fuck shit up and Joel dealing with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wolves

Joel noticed a pattern with Ray, the younger never seemed to have a girlfriend (or boyfriend) and any attempt to flirt with him would immediately be cut off right when Joel was getting the nerve to ask him out.

It was obvious that the kid had some kind of baggage, and Joel was wondering if it was worst than the baggage he was carrying already.

Only one way to find out.

So Joel, being the smooth motherfucker he is, managed to corner Ray in the kitchen one morning and ask him for his ‘help’ on something.

And that the only way Ray could help him was to agree to go and get a coffee with him around 6.

Ray only smiled and complied. But Joel wasn’t good at planning ahead so when they actually got to the coffee shop and Ray asked him what he needed help with Joel just buried himself in the steaming hot liquid to see if he could buy himself some time. He removed the cup after a few moments and uttered a ‘well you know,’ making Ray cock up an eyebrow and take a sip of his own cup of coffee.

Smoothe.

Licking his lips and starting to seriously get nervous, Joel opened his mouth again but closed it, being lost for words.

“If you wanted a date, just ask next time.” Ray said this like it was a basic fact of the universe. (Probably because it was.) Joel just nodded and laughed, nerves still getting to him, they drank in silence, until their cups were empty and this prompted them to speak, finally.

“I-um, I,” Smoothe Joel.

“How long has it been since your last date?”  
“Like a decade.” Ray laughed like this was a joke, but Joel was half serious. The age gap was a thing, but it was something Joel had pushed to the back of his mind.   
“Well, you’re doing fine. I’ve had worst dates,” Ray said as he got up from his chair, and Joel followed suit, both of them throwing their cups into the trash. “I honestly thought for a second that you brought me here to help you write something. But then I thought that you couldn’t possibly be one of those people who write stories at a starbucks.” Joel rolled his eyes and chucked, following Ray out the door.  
“What now?”  
“I- well you see.”  
“You really don’t plan ahead.”  
“I mean, YOLO right? Isn’t that the motto? Like what the kids are into?”  
“ ‘The Kids’ Joel you’re not that old.”  
“Oh well, There is the age difference.”

“I don’t care. I do better with older people anyway.” Joel smiled.

Baggage. He had to have some. There had to be a catch to Ray liking him.

Ray walked in front as Joel trailed behind, both of them just enjoying the night and sometimes Ray would shoot him a question and Joel would shoot him and answer back.

“Joel do you like dogs?”

“What?”

“Dogs, you know four legs, loyal, kinda like cats but bigger and not assholes.”  
“I know that a dog is. Yeah I like them why?”

“What about wolves?”  
“Why?”

“Just for future reference.” Joel rolled his eyes and exhaled a little harder than usual in a half-assed laugh.   
“Yeah I like wolves.”

“Good.”

Ray stopped to let Joel catch up with him and beamed a smile at him.

“What?”  
“Nothing.”

They walked side by side the rest of the way to who knows where. They both shared a comfortable silence considering Joel wasn’t good at talking when he’s sober and Ray wasn’t good at breaking silences.

“Just for the record I like you better when you’re not drunk.” Ray said when they reached his apartment, Joel took this as a goodbye and he just smiled in retaliation.

“For the record, I think I’d like to see you when you are drunk.” Joel offered a smug smile and Ray just rolled his eyes.

“We’ll see how far this goes.”

Joel took that as an invitation for a second date. This time, no trickery, and this time maybe he’d actually talk to his date for more than 5 seconds.

This time, they went to a movie, which seemed like a good idea until they actually got there. Ray seemed a bit uncomfortable when he finished his large popcorn before the movie even started, and had to get up for a refill. Jesus. The kid could eat twice his bodyweight and still be hungry. Joel just thought it was hormones or something. Do 20-something year olds still have hormones? You need hormones to live right? Ray’s back with two large popcorns.

Jesus.

After the movie Joel sneakily intertwined his fingers with Ray’s.  
“You know last time, you kept walking in front of me and now this is just to make sure you stay by my side.”   
“Whatever man.” Ray said cheerily as they walked out of the movie theater, chatting away about the movie and the different shots and Ray making jabs at Joel, asking him if he knew any of the actors and Joel playing it up like he was a big movie star. (You should see how many heads turned to see if they were lying or telling the truth. Ray wondered if he could make a game out of that.)

The cold air outside hit Joel’s face like a semi hitting a motorcycle, he recoiled a bit when the wind tried to push him back into the theater, he made a slight noise of protest as he pushed his scarf over his mouth to try and shield the wind from entering his airwaves and freezing him from the inside out. Ray, however, was unfazed.

“You should have worn a heavier jacket,” Ray said matter-of factly. Joel just mocked him as he unlocked his car and got in.    
“Jesus it’s like hell’s freezing over. How are you so warm?”  
“Well you know.”  
“The joys of being young.”  
“You’re not old Joel.” Ray boredly threw out there. Joel just said a ‘yeah, yeah’ as he backed out of his parking space and went to take a drive, Ray talking about the movie they just watched and Joel had a goofy smile on his face like he could get used to this. Joel drove carefully because he didn’t want to give ray the impression that he was reckless. No. Joel didn’t like to go fast on an empty highway. Not at all.

On their third date Ray stood him up. Joel waited outside the bowling alley until they fucking closed. Several people asked him if he was okay and he just answered that he was waiting for someone.

“I fucked up.” There was a pause and Joel let out a chuckle, looking at the ground and rubbing the back of his neck. “Joel I’m really sorry I just, I-”  
“If you thought going bowling was lame, you could have just-”  
“No! it was a cute idea I just.” Ray sighed. “I can’t keep doing this anymore.”

“Oh.”  
“NO! God I’m an asshole. Just. Joel. I need to. I don’t want to let this get to far. I need to, show you something. Please.” Joel sighed and Ray hesitantly took Joel’s hand, leading him away to a place to be alone.

A million worries were going through Ray’s head and Joel was wondering where he could get a quick drink.

“So we’re far away from civilization, it’s night, are you going to stand me up and stab me?” Joel half joked and Ray winced a bit.  
“I let me explain. Let me erm- show you. Close your eyes.”  
“Please don’t stab me-”  
“I’m not going to stab you Joel.” Ray said half losing his patience and half laced with worry. Joel took a premature peek.

“Impatient motherfucker, give me a few more seconds.” So Joel re-closed his eyes and he heard Ray sigh a sort of sad sigh when your lungs feel like they’re full of shit and you’re desperately trying to blow it out.

Joel opened his eyes a little bit, “Can I open them?” he asked, as his mouth was open a bit in shock with the sight in front of him.

Ray was slowly getting disfigured, his hands growing in size and his muzzle becoming apparent, tufts of black fur was becoming visible and his clothes looked like it was getting constricted.

Baggage.

Joel stroked his chin with his hand, Ray’s golden eyes looked misty like he was sad about something but Joel just thought it was the wind hitting him that made him teary.

“I feel like I should have told you sooner.” Ray’s voice was a bit different, like it struggled to speak in his new form.

Ray had black fur on the top of his back but his under belly had white fur, giving him a nice contrast look, His left hand, paw?, had white fur going up his forearm and this may have been Joel imagination or the poor lighting but he could have swore there was a light scar on Ray’s muzzle. Even in his werewolf state, Ray was still shorter than Joel, and he had the cutest ears now that Joel was really looking, shock aside, Ray’s ears had a white tip. It was almost like they were candles and it was Joel’s birthday.

Joel wondered if Ray’s fur was soft. So he gingerly, in the silence of the moment, put his hand out, palm face down, towards Ray’s head. The younger of the two met him halfway and pressed his head to his palm, and his fur seemed to absorb the older’s hand, if it wasn’t attached to Joel he could have lost it in the thickness of Ray’s fur.

He was so soft and so warm Joel had to physically restrain himself from hugging him. (It was cold in Austin, shush.)

“So this is your baggage?” Joel chuckled and Ray just stood there, facing the ground with Joel’s hand on him. Joel started to stroke and Ray leaned into him a little. “You’re cute.” Joel said matter of factly.

“I’m a motherfucking werewolf, and I am not cute.” Joel just smiled.

“This isn’t beastiality right?”  
“Joel.”  
“Just checking.”

Joel started to pass his hand over Ray’s ear, and Ray slowly transformed back into the person, grabbing Joel’s hand as it slid down from his head.

“Do I get a fourth date?”  
“Why not.”  
“Do I also get a promise you won’t tell anyone?”  
“Yeah of-”  
“Joel. Seriously.” Ray gripped Joel’s hand a little tighter just for a second.

“I’m not going to tell anyone.”

Ray let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“You know there’s a million girls out there who would faint over the idea of having a werewolf boyfriend.”  
“Yeah but none of them are you.”  
“Getting sentimental on our third date already? Damn.” Ray slapped Joel’s shoulder playfully.

Joel forgot about wanting that drink, taking this werewolf business surprisingly well.

Oh but he was going to milk it a bit.

—-

A few weeks and dates later Joel sent Ray a quick text message during work, asking him how he was.   
 _-I’m so sad Joel I’m crying! I just lost the tower of pimps D: I might be depressed._

Joel rolled his eyes and sent Ray a picture of a tennis ball.

_-Not sad anymore?_

Ray tried hard to suppress a laugh.

_-NO_

_-Damn, it worked on tumblr._

Ray rolled his eyes.

_-Lunch?_

_-I’m starving, but give me a few minutes._

_-When are you not hungry?_

__

Joel got up and grabbed his coat, heading down to the AH office to pick up Ray and go get something to eat.

People were thinning in the office, Ryan leaving to go to his normal desk, Jack going out with Cati, Geoff and Gavin also leaving for lunch. This left Ray with Michael, who put a hand on Ray’s should suddenly with a dull thunk and squeezed, making Ray jump from his seat.

“So Ray.” Here it comes. Ray opened his mouth to speak but the Jersey boy cut him off, “You tell Joel, and he doesn’t so much as bat an eyelash!?” Weeks have passed and they were still having the same conversation.

“Dude I thought it was strange too, it took getting used to…”  
“Joel. The conspiracy theorist. JOEL.”   
“Yeah the guy who’s going to be here any minute-” Michael slammed a fist onto Ray’s desk making the decorations go up into the air for a second.  
“This doesn’t seem fishy to you?”   
“Michael. Look. He doesn’t care. It’s fine. I’m going to be fine. Worst comes to worst if he tries to pull anything on me I’ll just eat him or something.”  
“Just be careful okay. We’ve had enough close calls-”  
“Yeah. Thanks dad.” Ray muttered sarcastically. Michael just let out a small sigh, then Ray’s phone buzzed.

_-I’m in the car. food. yes? Food._

__

Ray got out of his chair.

“I’m just trying to look out for you okay?”  
“I know. Just stop worrying. I’m happy okay.”

“Alright.” Michael sat down at his chair and grabbed his controler, “Get me a doggy bag?”  
“Maybe.”

——

“Joel I’m going to be sick.” Ray said as he rested his head on the car headrest.

“Don’t be a baby Ray,” Joel teased.

“I swear to god if you don’t slow this car down I’m going wolf and eating your ass.”  
“Just my ass?”  
“Jooooel.” Ray whined, “Can you stop being a speed demon for once.” He looked over at Joel and gave him a pout, which prompted him to ease up the gas, now actually going just 5 miles over the speed limit. Ray gave him a weak smile.

“Thank you Joel.”  
“I just don’t want you to throw up in my fucking car.” He deadpanned, Ray hit his shoulder.  
“I’m more important than your car.”  
“Yes. Yes you are.” Ray smiled and closed his eyes, rubbing his stomach because of goddamn car sickness.

The food was nice, they went to a buffet because it was cheaper and Ray could fucking eat 5 plates of food and still have room for dessert. (However, he just ate three this time while Joel could barely finish his seconds. They also put some food in a bag to take back for Michael.)

Going back, with a stomach full of food, Joel was extra careful driving so Ray wouldn’t heave, but he was okay this time around, Joel’s heavy foot on the accelerator was what made him carsick 90% of the time. Joel gripped the steering wheel tightly.

“Why was Michael yelling at you?” He finally asked.  
“Oh well. He’s kinda. You know. Over-protective. We almost got caught once and I guess it shook him up really bad-”  
“He doesn’t trust me then.”  
“He doesn’t know you like I do. Don’t worry about it.”  
“Does he know that I know that he knows about you?”

“What? OH. No. He doesn’t know. You wanna tell him that you know that he knows?”  
“You know what I know? I know that this conversation’s making my head hurt.”  
“Joel you can calculate the cost of gold at the speed of sound in your head but when we have a simple conversation like this-” Ray came rushing forward when Joel made a harsh stop.  
“Sorry,” Joel muttered.  
“No it’s okay. Just, give Michael time, you know how he is.” So Joel pouted all the way back to the office and there was nothing Ray could do about it.

“Have my doggy bag?”  
“Yup.” Ray put the bag on Michael’s desk, Joel was long gone heading back to his own office. Ray grabbed his controler and waited for the rest of the gang to arrive.

—-

“You don’t need to do this.”   
“I’m the one who fucking suggested it, now get in the bath.” Joel ordered, and this was quite the scene, Joel spread out towels on his bathroom floor and there was a very big, black and white wolf in the middle of the floor. Unmoving.

“No seriously. I could change back-”  
“Ray seriously? Get. in. The bath.” Ray whimpered a bit and Joel rolled his eyes. Was this happening? This was happening. There’s Joel’s werewolf boyfriend lying on his bathroom floor and refusing to take a bath. This is happening.  
“I’m going to pick you up.”  
“Fine! Fine!” Ray sauntered to the steaming bath and gingerly put a paw in. “It’s too hot.” he lied, looking backward at Joel, who just crossed his arms, one hand with a brush and the other with pet soap, Ray groaned and got in, making water splash everywhere.

“Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy? Who’s taking a bath?” Joel cooed and Ray playfully snapped at him.  
“Stop. I’m a wolf not a dog, you know I hate that.”

“Sorry,” Joel grumbled as he pushed the sleeves to his shirt up and dropped down on his knees near the tub, he began to massage Ray’s scalp with a hand full of soap, bringing his hand down his back and scrubbing with his nails but making sure not to scratch Ray accidently. (Joel swears Ray almost fell asleep.)

Joel’s apartment was a small one, and they certainly didn’t allow pets of any size to stay. He hoped silently that his neighbors would mind their own business and not ask any questions. Joel could be paranoid sometimes too. Joel’s bathroom was cute, the tile on the floor was a soft pink color and when people asked why he never changed he just shrugged and said he never had the time to make the tiles a color he wanted. He’s had this apartment for years. Never had the time my ass. The tub itself was white and right next to the tub was the toilet, then next to that was the sink which had a little cabinet area underneath it which contained a various of cleaning supplies and on top of the sink was a medicine cabinet that doubled as a mirror. Standard bathroom.

“Ray, Ray you better not do that dog shaky thing that they do to get rid of water on them.”  
“If I can get something in return~” Joel furrowed his eyebrows together in frustration.

“I’m fucking giving you a bath.”  
“Touche.” Ray panted a bit and yawned, he loved the feeling of Joel’s hands all over him.

“Okay, that should do it,” Joel passed the shower head over Ray’s body to make sure the soap was all gone and Ray shook his body to get rid of it from any water that was stuck in his thick fur.

_Oh._

_Whoops._

Joel passed his hands over his now soaking face, Ray looked at him and flattened his ears in a sorry manner and Joel just laughed a bit.

“It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m fine, you’re fine. Now we both took a bath.” Ray hopped out of the tub and Joel got up, he knees cracking a bit and Joel winced. He felt old.

“Can I blow dry you?” Joel asked out loud and Ray laughed.  
“Sure. Jesus. Why not.” So Joel doubled back into his room with Ray padding along  behind him, Joel thanked God that he didn’t buy an apartment that was carpeted all over, the only place that had a carpet was the living room.  Ray sat down on the floor and Joel brought a chair in front of him, blow dryer and brush in hand. Joel smoothes out the fur from any knots, making Ray wince once and awhile when a knot was really hard to pull out, but eventually Ray was dry and his fur was shining, and Joel was proud of his work but man was he tired.

Ray rested his face on Joel’s leg and Joel petted him, Ray must have been old, super old, old as balls in wolf years. Joel wondered silently how that worked, the transition from human years to wolf ones. He wondered if Ray would live shorter as a result and instantly he wished he could unwonder that. So Joel got up and made his way to the couch in the living room, Ray padding behind him on all fours. Joel lied down on the couch, using the armrest as a place to rest his back and Ray lied next to him on his back, half lying on the couch and half lying on Joel, and the older put his hand on Ray’s stomach so he could be balanced and not fall.

Joel found himself petting his stomach until his head flopped over, tongue out in a goofy expression, occasionally his leg would move in a thumping formation, Ray’s fluffy tail slowly swaying. Joel could get used to this. They fell asleep on the couch together.

——

Both of them awoke to a start when Joel’s front door started knocking.

“It’s Geoff, wake up asshole, I have beer.” SHIT shit, fuck shit.

“Who is it?” Ray asked, still in his wolf form, not sounding like he wanted to wake up anytime soon. Joel panicked as he said it was Geoff and that he needed to get off him. Ray did, jumping onto the floor.

“Change!”   
“I don’t need to though!”  
“Ray it’s not Michael it’s Geoff-”  
“I know-”  
“You need to hide-”  
“But-”  
“Geoff I’ll be there in a second!” Joel got his broom that was right near the front door and used it to shoo Ray into the bedroom

“Joel this isn-” Joel closed the door to the bedroom and went to go open the front door.

There stood Geoff with the biggest shit eating grin you could ever imagine staring at a very startled Joel. Oh he could have fun with this.

Ray on the other hand was naked, back to human form, on Joel’s fucking bedroom floor with his hands crossed like a toddler. He shuffled in Joel’s drawers and went to get the biggest shirt he could find and dawn it on him. (He also stole a pair of underwear.)

“Geoff, My friend Don’t-” Geoff pushed past him into the apartment, (which smelled like wet dog) and smiled, putting the pack of beers onto the counter of the kitchen. Joel gulped and started to panic a bit.

“I didn’t know you got a dog.” Geoff smiled as he uncapped a beer and raised it to his lips, Joel swallowed hard.

“I didn’t see-”  
“Oh but it smells like wet dog-”  
“See I took a shower. I have an infection?” Geoff’s eyebrow cocked up questioningly.

“An infection?”  
“And the medication-” Joel felt arms behind him wrapping around his middle.

“Hi Joel~”  
“Ray.”

“Ray?” Geoff asked, Joel looked even more flustered when he laid eyes on the site of Ray in an old shirt of his. Geoff gave a smiled and Joel passed his hand over his hair.  
“Geoff this is Ray-”  
“I know who Ray is. Ray did Joel get a dog?”  
“Seems like he did Geoff.” Ray offered a smirk and Joel looked like he was about to have a heart attack.  
“What is, what’s-”  
“Geoff knows too.”  
“You fucking bastard.” Joel said as he wiped his hand on his chin and Geoff let out one of his cancer curing laughs. “Why? Why does Geoff know?”  
“Do you know who I’m married to?” Geoff said matter of factly, “My wife could spot vampires from a mile away.”  
“Werewolf,” Ray corrected.

“More like Gaywolf. So Joel’s taking care of you?”  
“Yes, jesus will people stop worrying!”  
“I’m just asking because Millie misses the free wolf rides you used to give her.”

Ray smiled, “Invite me over and I’ll give her a ride.” Geoff just chuckled and gave Ray a card, making the younger scowl.

“I’ll invite you and Mr. paranoid here over sometime, also good doctor. Get a check up,” Geoff made his way to the door, “It was fun making Joel shit his fucking pants. See you tomorrow.” Geoff offered a lazy wave as he closed the door behind him.

Joel felt his legs almost give way under his weight, Ray looked at him and smiled.

“That’s what happens when you don’t let me finish my sentences and shoo me with a broom.” Joel hugged Ray, it was a bone crushing, my uncle just died and I need someone type of hug; Ray buried his head into Joel chest and hugged back.

“I was so fucking scared.” He kissed the top of Ray’s head and the younger muttered something along the lines of ‘I’m choking,’ this made Joel loosen the hug a little, and Ray let out a dramatic gasp for air.

“Everyone worries too much.” He broke away from the hug and made his way to Joel’s xbox system.

“Who said you could wear my clothes?”  
“I look cute.” Ray stuck his tongue out at Joel.  
“That thing is way too big for you.  
“I like it.”  
“You have your own clothes.”  
“They don’t smell like you.” Joel sat down next to Ray and grabbed his own controler.

Joel looked at Ray while he booted up the game, making the younger ask ‘what’ only for Joel to move his head near Ray’s, breathing in his strawberry scented skin and he laughed a bit, making a mental note that any soap you use when he’s a wolf will transition to him smelling like that as a human. Ray looked a bit flustered when Joel licked his lips but stopped half way, making the Puerto Rican wonder if he should make a move, but when he moved forward and tilted his head slightly to go into the kiss, Joel moved away.

“What game are we playing?”  
“Prick.”  
“I don’t think I have that game.”  
“Asshole.”  
“Payback.”

This was one of the most stressful but more relaxing sunday’s of Joel’s life.

——

The most stressful day of Joel’s life was when he awoke and the place beside him was void of anyone breathing, but the bathroom light across the hall was on and the distinct sound of someone vomiting could be heard. So Joel threw his covers aside and made his way to the light, only to find Ray crouched over and before Joel could even ask what’s the matter, Ray knocked out like an invisible boxer punched him on the side of his face, he just slunked backwards and Joel had to pick him up and he put him on his side of the bed. Trying to keep his calm he opted to not call 911, and just went through his phone book to find someone to help. A clinic, something.  
So Joel opened and found a 24 hour clinic.  
He also found a 24 hour emergency veterinary hospital and he was so fucked. Shaking with the phone in hand and threatening to throw it against the wall, he tried to keep his composure.

“Ray.” He whispered, “Ray. Please. Wake up. For a second. Who do I call? Ray. Please, do I call the vet or the human doctor clinic… Thing. Ray please who do I call?”  
“Ghostbusters,” Ray weakly retorted, coming back to life like he just took a spontaneous nap. Joel want to stab him with his phone, but he was so clouded with worry that he just gave a weak laugh.

“I hope thats that last thing you say when you push daisies.”  
“Water?” Ray asked ignoring the comment, Joel sprinted to the kitchen and turned the tap on, Ray drank the water eagerly like he was a fish out of water and he needed to be brought back to life. Eventually, Ray drank so much water Joel just moved him to the kitchen so he could drink to his heart’s content. Joel cranked up the AC and told Ray to take a cold bath. Not ice cold but just cold enough. Maybe it was heat stroke, maybe he was just dehydrated. Maybe he should cut his fur? Was that a thing? Joel grew to hate the summer more.

He ended up calling the clinic, asking ‘hypothetical,’ questions. The nurse on the phone was nice and understanding, she did urge him to take him to the clinic, but Joel heard a faint call for his name in the distance and he went over to go check on Ray.

“There’s a card in my wallet, it says something about paint services, call the number and tell them what’s up.”  
“Paint. Services?”

“It’s a cover-up, he was my doctor in New York.” Joel sighed and went over to Ray’s pants pockets, and called the number.  
“Hello, Welcome to The Golden Shire’s Paint Services. If you need paint we have it.”

“I uh,” Joel just offered, was there a code word for my boyfriends a werewolf and sick? Ray called for Joel again, taking the phone out of his hands and explaining what happened, the nurse then asked to speak to the first person again.

“I um-”  
“He’ll be fine. You just need to make sure he doesn’t over-heat. He has thick fur even for a wolf.” Joel let out a shaky sigh that was wrapped around a thank you and hung up the phone.

“You’re just overheated?” Joel leaned against the bathroom door frame, looking at Ray who was sat in a cold bath. He just nodded.

“Sorry.”  
“Jesus. Christ. So your fur need to be cut right? And you won’t fucking vomit and faint?”  
“Yeah. basically. My body temperature is all fucked up and I don’t have the strongest stomach out there.”

“But you’re okay?”  
“Yeah I will be.”

After another few minutes passed they both went back to bed, but Joel couldn’t help but just stare at Ray; trying desperately to convince himself that he’ll be okay.

Joel remember how flustered he was when he didn’t know which doctor to call. He decided to stop silently wondering about Ray and made up his mind to ask as many questions as he could. Just in case.

—-

“So why does Geoff know?” Joel wondered out loud.  
“Because he knows people.”  
“So like is he a werewolf too?” Ray shrugged, “Is Griffon a werewolf?” Ray shrugged again.  
“I don’t know.”  
“Bullshit. Does Gavin know?”

“He know’s I’m something but he doesn’t know what, kinda like you know that Geoff and/or Griffon is something but you don’t know what.”  
Joel pouted but decided to drop this conversation, maybe one day he’ll figure it out.

“How were you raised?” Joel asked in between bites of his food as his knife and fork clashed with his plate.    
“In west philadelphia born and raised-”  
“No Ray. I mean like were you raised as a human kid or like a wolf?”

“I guess, both? I was supposed to make my own choice but I guess I have my foot in both worlds.” Ray reached over the table and drank some of his coke

“So you don’t like being a human?”  
“No, I just don’t like being prompted to decide. I like to keep my options open.” Joel moved his lips to make an ‘O’ and continued to eat his food.

Keeping options open.

“Can you hear my heartbeat?”  
“What the fuck Joel.” Ray was over in the kitchen putting dishes away when Joel just walked out of the shower, towel around his neck and in a bathrobe.

“You’re all the way over there how the hell am I supposed to hear your heartbeat?”  
“I dunno, you’re strong for your size because of the werewolf-ness so I thought you’d have all the perks, like an acute sense of smell and good hearing-” Ray shook his head no.

“I mean, if I wanted to I could change part of my body so I have like the fucking wolf ears to hear or I could give myself the muzzle to smell but yeah strengths all I have.”

“Good to know.” Joel walked away to go get dressed.

“Weirdo!” Ray yelled after him.

“Look who’s talking!”

Ray’s things started to migrate over to Joel’s house slowly, starting with video games and ending when Ray started to bring in boxes and move in properly, Joel having asked, of course, if Ray wanted to move in with him.

Joel liked to thread his hand through Ray’s hair no matter what form he was occupying.

He also liked to see how fucking fast that motherfucker could run when he brought him to the desert early morning. The sand underneath his paws felt nice, his trimmed fur didn’t flow in the wind but it was nice to let his instincts run wild and just run for a while, Joel leaning against his car and just watching as Ray’s floppy tongue bounce with every step he took, occasionally Ray would snap at Joel’s ankles to try and prompt him to run too. (Joel could sprint a whole 10 feet before doubling over and being tired.)

“You’re not going to overheat right?” Joel asked between gasps for air.

“No,” Ray laughed as he rolled around in the sand.

Joel could get used to this.

—-

Sometimes Ray felt very self conscious because he felt like he did more harm than good. He made people around him worry and he would just offer a /witty/ reply back. He didn’t take things seriously and he was self conscious.

Ray twisted in bed, trying hard not to wake up Joel, but he couldn’t help the urge to pass his hand over the older man’s hair.

_Thanks for dealing with me._

__

—-

They did fight. Don’t think this was perfect because Joel was afraid Ray would go wolf and bite his ass because Joel wasn’t afraid of animals and he sure as hell wasn’t afraid of half animal half people.

So they did fight, on occasion about chores, about what they would eat for dinner, about money sometimes. Normal things. They had their rough patches.

“Hey faggot!”

 

Sometimes they would fight over how to deal with other people.

“I’m talking to you!” Ray walked quickly along the street, trying to ignore the man yelling, he was probably drunk and it was dark out, and he just wanted to go home.

But then he heard the familiar pa-pa-pa of feet running behind him, so he ducked into an alley to try and shake him.

(It wasn’t the best idea he’s had, the alley had a dead end.)

So his back against a wall and one mean motherfucker swinging at him, Ray had two choices to either take it or lose his shit and maul him.

To be honest, Ray could easily have taken him, his teeth were sharp and-

_No._

_I never want to hurt a human._

When Ray came home with a black eye and bloody nose, he thought he’d had enough of fighting for one night, but Joel felt the need to add to it.

“Why the fuck didn’t you do anything.” Silence. “Come on, you could have taken him! You’re a fucking werewolf!” Joel huffed when Ray stayed silent, he was shuffling angrily in his first aid kit. He then slammed his fist onto his kitchen counter, hissing a ‘goddamnit Ray,’ under his breath and Ray lost his cool.

“Goddamn me? More like Goddamn you Joel, I can’t just fucking change when shit gets heavy! Oh look this bitch just cut me in line at the supermarket let me rip out her vocal cords with my teeth hope no one saw me! Oh that guy just cut my boyfriend off in traffic, let me rip his car door open and beat him up in front of his kids! No one saw so it’s okay right! Just because I have these powers, doesn’t mean I can fucking use them on people!”  
“Ray listen-”  
“No you fucking listen to me okay Joel! I can’t just whip out my claws wherever I want to. I could have seriously hurt someone okay? I can’t just do that!  _ **Okay**_!?” Ray huffed, panting slightly from his tantrum, Joel threaded his hands over the black fur on Ray’s neck and Ray tensed, looking down at his hands that weren’t hands anymore but paws. Mid-rant he must have changed.

Ray wondered why Joel wasn’t afraid of him.

Joel brought Ray in for a hug, it was warm and Ray’s thick fur was soft. (Damn it fur could grow back fast.)

Ray shifted, his clothes now too loose for his small human frame.

At least he didn’t have a black eye anymore, and his bleeding stopped.

“How? What?”  
“Oh yeah, healing factor is a thing.”

“What?”  
“Want to stab me and I’ll show you?”  
“I’ll take your word for it.”

They did in fact fight a lot, but they didn’t fight for long.

—-

“Honestly, have you ever thought about being a wolf full-time?”

“Ohhh yes Joel. Especially when I was running out of money. Easier to live, you don’t have to do taxes as a wolf.”

“What about now?”

Ray looked like he was concentrating hard, Joel laughed and drummed his hands on the steering wheel, the traffic prohibiting him from going forward anyway.

“Well. I dunno. I love my job and friends and I love you-” Joel made a harsh stop and Ray was propelled forward. (His seat belt caught him don’t worry.)

“I love you too.”  
Ray smiled, a big goofy smile that made Joel roll his eyes and prompted him to pass his hand over Ray’s head.

“But like. If I had to choose because you put a gun to my head I think I’d take the bullet.”  
Oh.  
“Really?”  
“Yeah I couldn’t imagine my life without you guys, and I couldn’t imagine my life without being able to curl up into a ball or bark and scare the neighbors or having this strength and I’d miss my teeth.” Ray pulled down his lip as he made hand motions while he spoke, “I dunno. I like having options.”

“Speaking of werewolves, did you go get that check up yet? Geoff says the doctor’s really good and nice-”  
Ray let out a low growl.

“Don’t growl at me I’m just looking out for you.” Ray made a face as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

“Saturday night I’ll go yeah?”   
“Sure.”

Joel could get used to this type of life. (He was already used to it.)

  
And he loved every second of it.


End file.
